Willis Wright isn't sure when Rakeem Cato developed his trademark smile. He just knows that if he sees his best friend sporting it, something good has probably just happened on the football field for Miami Springs High.
"If Cato is smiling, we just scored a touchdown or we just won the game," said Wright, who has grown up catching passes from Cato since both were little kids. "He's a competitor, a fighter, a winner and my quarterback. Don't bet against him because he'll make you look foolish. He's been doing that since he was throwing rocks in the projects."
Rakeem Cato didn't have it easy growing up but has blossomed into one of Miami-Dade's best players. (Photo by Dexter Castro)
When it comes to flinging footballs, there probably won't be a more prolific passer to play quarterback in Miami-Dade County by the time Cato's high school career is finished.
A starter since the ninth grade at Miami Springs, the numbers the 6-foot-1, 180-pound junior have compiled in 28 starts (361-596, 5,988 yards, 67 TDs, 17 INTs) have him on pace to break all of the Miami-Dade County passing records which currently belong to University of Miami sophomore Jacory Harris (416-617, 6,365 yards, 87 TDs in his career at Miami Northwestern).
Harris accomplished those records in two 15-0 seasons while leading Northwestern to back-to-back Class 6A state championships. Cato has accomplished his feats while playing for a program that hasn't been to the playoffs since 1995 and has won as many games since he has been there (22-6) as it did in the previous eight seasons combined (22-54).
"I still remember the first day he walked in through the door," Miami Springs coach Alex Pacheco said. "I told him, ‘All you have to do is beat out this other kid that's been here for three years.’ Not only did he do it, he was amazing. Right off the bat, the chemistry between he and [current FIU receiver] Ty [Hylton] was there. Every year, the kid has shown consistent improvement.
"Has it always been easy? No. But the beauty of it is he shows up every day and is willing to be better than the day before."
The easy part for Cato has been football. The hard part has been everything else in his life.
Unlike some of the state's other prolific quarterbacks who had supportive, loving parents to back them or fathers to coach them, Cato's family history is filled with struggle and sadness.
The fifth of seven children to Juannese Cato, Rakeem grew up amid the drug and violence of Scott Projects in Liberty City. His father has been in jail since before he was born. His mother worked two jobs, one at Jackson Memorial Hospital as a janitor and another as a cashier at PetSmart, until she died in 2005 from pneumonia.
Cato’s eldest brother Antwain, now 27, has been caring for him and his siblings with the help of their grandparents since. But in January, the Catos suffered another tragic loss when Gwendlyn Harris, their grandmother, passed away.
"After mom died, we've basically been holding on," said Antwain, a former baseball star at Miami Northwestern who now works in a warehouse packing boxes. "All of us together have stayed strong, trying to do better for ourselves.
Miami Springs QB Rakeem Cato could break all of Miami-Dade County's passing records by the time he's finished. (Photo by Dexter Castro)
"Mom always told us to go to school and make something of ourselves. I'm proud of Rakeem. I tell him that every day. He'd be the first one in our family to get to college. We're definitely hoping he makes it. He deserves it. He's always been a good kid."
Cato's love affair with football began at an early age. His mother signed him up to play football at Gwen Cherry Park when he was 6 along with his cousin, Miami Central running back Brandon Gainer. It didn't take long for coaches to discover Cato could throw the football. Antwain said he still laughs at the video footage he has of his youngest brother flinging passes 30 yards down field when he weighed just 65 pounds at age 6.
"It's ridiculous seeing a little kid throw the football like that," Antwain said. "But Rakeem was born with that arm. He came out throwing."
Cato said he and his older brother would stay out in front of their house playing catch until 11 at on weeknights -- right before their mother would get home from work.
"Tom Brady was the guy I always looked up to," Cato said. "He was the man when I was little. Now, I look up to Jacory Harris. He's great in the fourth quarter."
Pacheco said there aren't many schools in the country who haven't expressed interest in Cato. But since Sept. 1, the first day colleges could officially offer juniors, Cato has received just one scholarship offer -- from Florida International University. Pacheco said there is no doubt in his mind Cato can play quarterback at the next level.
"Of all the things the kid has really developed of late, it's his speed," Pacheco said. "His sixth sense, knowing when he has to scramble, when he has to move -- it's like he can feel the pressure. And not only is his arm is phenomenal, but so is his knowledge. When he has to check off, nine times out of 10 he makes the right decision. His football IQ is phenomenal. When we watch film, he sees things I won't. Some kids have it and some kids don't. He does."
Still, Pacheco knows there's a chance big-time schools might prefer to use his athleticism at another position. Although he hasn't done so in a game yet, Pacheco said Cato would also be his best cornerback if called upon.
"A lot of people don't know this because I don't want them to, but in the summertime I put him to cover Willis and he completely shut him down," Pacheco said. "He did the same thing to Tommy [Shuler]. And I think Tommy is the next Ty [Hylton]. FIU definitely saw that before anyone else and that's why they're the first in line to get both Cato and Tommy next year."
Barring a total collapse in the team's final two games, Cato and Shuler should finish the season as the top passing duo in Miami-Dade County. Before Friday night's game against Hialeah, Cato was leading the county in passing with 2,342 yards and 31 touchdowns. And Shuler (5-8, 160) was leading the county in receiving with 59 catches for 1,025 yards and 13 touchdowns.
"We've definitely had a lot of fun this season," Shuler said. "Rakeem knows how to read defenses real quick, pick them apart. But this is nothing new. He's been doing it since we were kids."
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